Former foreign minister Iwaya Takeshi, leading a delegation to China, met with senior government officials in the highest level contact for a senior Japanese politician since tensions began worsening last year.
Beijing may be looking to both stabilize the relationship with Japan while placing the blame for the friction solely on Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae and her “new militarism.”
Takaichi could face increasingly visible pressure domestically to stabilize the situation diplomatically, though a more robust settlement is unlikely.
